Relapse of the Heart
by mirilianwarrior18
Summary: Tokyo has it's own defining line of dangerous. While staying in Tokyo, the teen titans are forced to realize that nothing is as it seems. After becoming a couple, Robin and Starfire are forced to decide whats worth the fight and what isn't as enemies within the city attempt to destroy everything they hold dear-and them in the process.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_"No!"_ his voice cried. Despite how much I wanted to come to him though, I could not move. Robin's masked face came into view, one of his hands cupping my cheek and the other patting feeling into my face. My weak fingers clutched at his shirt in desperation. I wanted to assure him that I was all right, that I was still there, but I could not move. Every nerve—every muscle—in my entire body screamed and twitched with discomfort.

"Star, please!" he begged, the hurt and fear in his voice tangible.

Each word hurt me just as much as this hurt him, and that meant a great deal to me.

There was just no easy way of getting back to the way things were.

Suddenly, there was immense pressure as he forced air into my lungs. The pressure and force startled me.

That's when I realized that something was seriously wrong.

Just as the dark laughter reached the air, I felt myself drifting away from consciousness. I lost feeling in my fingers, lost sight of everything I knew as the darkness beckoned me. With the little effort that remained, I attempted to memorize the faces of everyone close to me, namely the boy with the mask, the one who made everything simply glorious for me.

That was the last thing I remembered before giving in to unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 1: Nightmare

_**Author's Note:**__ If you cannot already tell, this chapter is from Starfire's point of view. During this story as a whole, I might or might not switch perspectives. I will, of course, provide the name of the character before diving into the scene._

_ Also, I thought that this chapter was posted for you all to read a while ago. Please forgive my absence, for I am not used to the way this site works just yet. Given that time permits—which it will, I am sure—I will be updating more frequently. _

_That is all. Enjoy! _

**Chapter 1: Nightmare**

From what I have learned whilst on the planet Earth, humankind anticipates the dreams awaiting them in their sleep. I myself have been accustomed to dreams as well, especially ones in which I was visited by my lost family members, even my best friends. I often found myself dreaming about Robin kissing me, which had been a plain fantasy for years but now was a reality. There was one problem, though.

Ever since we defeated the Commander Daizo, my slumber became a terror chamber, one in which it became unbearable for me to endure for long.

It all came to a head two days after the parade, when my dreams transformed themselves from enjoyable to complete nightmares.

It was always the same scene, not once had there ever been a change in these reminders of what I had suffered; it was always the same memory, haunting me, over and over again. It always flashed back to the moment in which I had been trapped beneath the ink from the monster we had been up against. I was trapped and, even in the safety of unconsciousness, felt as if I was being choked by the ink, just as I had been when it truly happened.

I remembered Daizo releasing Raven and I from his grasp, then being suffocated by the hardening gel. No one noticed I was in any danger of not breaking through the barrier that prevented me from being able to breathe; I suppose no one knows what they are dealing with until it is gone.

In my nightmares, it never went to the part where Robin saved me and kissed me; it progressed to the point where I ended up suffocating.

That was usually when I would wake up in my hotel bed, clutching at my throat and gasping for air.

Nothing else—not one thing during the duration of our stay in Tokyo—had seemed as real as that.

As I stumbled out of bed, for the mare of the nights had made another appearance, I made my way over to the bathroom. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my fingers rubbing the tiredness from my eyes.

With a heavy sigh, I grabbed my toothbrush and cleansed my mouth, which already was overcome with the coppery, metallic taste of blood. I supposed biting my cheek in my sleep was inevitable now. I could not help but think about how out-of-routine things were becoming. I had not slept more than four hours in the past three days. My friends seemed not to have noticed, at least not that much.

Like everything else, that was impacting my life, too.

Deciding to give up on sleep, I opened up my window and slipped through to the roof. The stars hovered above in the pitch-black night sky, beckoning me to watch them as the moon met the sun on the horizon. I sighed again, my thoughts drifting back to my nightmares. I buried my face in my knees as I hugged them to my chest, hoping the tears burning in my eyes wouldn't spill over and stain my cheeks.

Had I not alerted my friends to my distress, would they have noticed my predicament? More importantly, would Robin have kissed me?

These thoughts crept through my inner defenses, making tears cascade over in my emerald eyes. Unlike the solace I usually found from the stars, tonight it evaded me, teasing me like a cat and a mouse. Miserable, I hugged my knees closer to my chest until it was painful. I tensed when a noise sounded from behind me. Was someone coming outside?

I resisted the urge to check who it was, even though that was what my instincts screamed at me to do.

"Do you always have trouble sleeping?" a gentle, male voice asked from behind me.

I knew who the voice belonged to, but my emotional numbness left me scarce for words. Before I could muster an answer, a blanket was draped over my shoulders and the same boy sat next to me.

"Star, is everything okay?" Robin eyed me with extreme concern.

I dropped my arms in surrender and used my hands to help me stay in a sitting position, noting how close his hand was to mine. I trembled; my lack of sleep was now weakening me. "I do not know anymore." I laid back on the cold cement of the roof, the blanket offering some warmth as I hugged it close to me.

Robin copied me, lying on his side so he could face me and slipped his arm under my head so I could use it as a pillow. "You can talk to me," he whispered, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

I could not though, even though I wanted to. I just succumbed to his welcoming arms, trying not to squeeze him too tight. He kept murmuring my name, that everything was okay.

That my nightmares were an illusion, and that nothing as bad as that would ever happen to me again. He breathed gentle assurances in my ear, that he would always protect me from now on.

As he hugged me closer, I tried to find the right words to respond, but could not. My voice failed me this time. Anything I tried to say was masked by my sudden need for sleep.

At some point, I remember hearing the faint beat of his heart. I was awake enough to see that he was sitting with his back against the roof's ledge with me resting in his lap. His arms, so strong and steady, encircled me and steadied my own trembling frame. His fingers traced up and down my arms and my side, sending spurts of electricity dancing along my skin.

I cherished that feeling and desired to utilize this time with him, but I was too tired.

"Star?" he asked, his voice a quiet whisper in my ear.

"Hmm?" I managed groggily.

He gave me an affectionate squeeze and kissed my temple, my forehead, and the tip of my nose. "You know you can talk to me, right?"

I opened my eyes a little. "Yes, Robin. I do." He must have said something more, but I only heard the echo in my ears. Before I could respond and ask what he wanted to tell me, I was swept under by unconsciousness.

...

Little did I know that sleep implied that I would still have nightmares.

I guess it no longer mattered if you had someone who cared deeply about you to dull the pain.

In this nightmare, things were not the same though, but very different.

Robin was with me, his lips spread into a smile. It was such a nice look for him, to be happy. He grinned widely at me as my dream self walked toward him. Then his smile melted, transforming into a cry of panic.

I stepped away from him, only to find the dagger that went through his stomach pulled quickly away. Before I could help him, someone was screaming and the dream abruptly came to an end.

My eyes snapped open, and before I could react to the nightmare, I realized I was not in my own room. Robin's room was similar to mine and everyone else's. It had two beds, an oak chest for clothes with a small television propped up on it, and a mini refrigerator.

Robin sat at the desk with his back to me. His hair was flat, as if he had just washed it. His gloves were discarded on the second bed behind him and his fingers were fast across the keys as he replied to his emails. It was at that moment in time he acknowledged I was awake.

"Look who's awake," he said, turning to face me. He crawled across the bed and laid next to me. "Did you have another bad dream?" His concerned eyes searched my face for any traces of deception, the worry prominent even through the mask.

"Yes." I sat up and wiped my tired eyes. "I did not expect you to bring me in here."

"I didn't know if you wanted me digging for any keys," he said, scratching the back of his head and blushing. "I—err—was worried, so—"

"Do not be worried," I frowned at him, sitting up and stretching. "This phase…it shall pass."

The look he gave me showed he did not believe me, not a single word. He copied me, pursing his lips together. "What did you dream about?"

I could not let him see the devastation in my eyes. He could not know that I dreamt of his death, so I lied. "My parents."

"It's all right. I'm just glad you were finally able to get some sleep." He curled his fingers around mine and squeezed until I returned the gesture.

I managed a small smile. "Thank you for letting me stay in here on such short notice."

"You can stay in here for the rest of our stay if you want."

"No Robin, I could not do that. Not since—"

"Cyborg and Beast Boy's teasing doesn't bother me anymore."

"That is sweet of you, but—"

"Star, do you honestly expect them to grow out of it?" he joked. "Those two will still be making fun when they're forty."

My shoulders sulked. "Robin, I realize you are concerned, but I am okay. I finally was able to sleep, after the past few days. I am sure I will be able to sleep now."

"Wait, how long haven't you been able to sleep?" he asked, his brow raised.

"A few days, it does not matter—"

"Maybe you should stay in here for while, at least a few days," he said. I was about to protest, but his hand on my shoulder caused me to stop. "Star, if you haven't been sleeping, that can't be a good sign. I won't force you into anything you don't want to do, I just think it might help if you slept in here. I won't cross any boundaries. You can just sleep in this bed and I'll sleep in the other one."

I let my head fall to his shoulder and sighed. "As you wish."

"Hey, everything will be okay. At least let's try it, okay? Maybe then you'll be able to sleep." He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, rubbing warmth into my arms. "Everything's going to be okay."

I found myself going into a doze and snapped awake before succumbing to slumber again. "What time is it?" I yawned.  
"Noon," he answered, running his free hand through his hair. He walked over to the mirror on the wall, combing it meticulously into his usual spikes after running gel through the tips with his fingers. "We have to meet the press at six tonight. Apparently the mayor wants to discuss something about the city."

"Is that so?" I asked him, propping myself up on my elbows and lying on my stomach to watch him.

"Yeah," he groaned. "I just hope he stops insisting we patrol the city."

"He has suggested that?" I replied. "I had no knowledge of—"

"I know," he interjected. "I kept telling him no. He has his own police force."

That struck me as odd. Jump City did, but he never turned them down. "Robin, if they request our assistance, surely it is in the benefit of these people to comply, is it not?"

"That's the first time I ever did that," he said quietly, his voice heavy with regret. "You're not the only one who's been losing sleep," he added.

I crossed the room, entwining our hands. "Robin, if it is something that concerns what we do, should we just….not do it?"

"Star, I don't think the city itself is in the best hands, and I'd love to help but this place is more dangerous than any of the force will admit," he said. "I feel like we'll never leave if we answer him. He's trying too much to get us to stay."

"He is desperate, yes?" I wanted to enter his arms again and feel his comfort, but something made me withdraw from him.

He chuckled. "Yes, he is very desperate." He tucked a few strands of my auburn hair behind my ear, leaving his hand along my jaw line to stroke it. He dropped his hand and guided me to the hall outside his door. "Go get dressed."

"But I thought—"

"Don't you want to explore the city? I wanted to take you out, but if you don't want to—"

"You did?" I questioned, cocking my head to the side. "As in on a—"

"—a date?" he finished with a chuckle. "Yes. So go get ready. We'll leave as soon as you're done. Wear something….flattering."

I cocked an eyebrow at him. "What is this place to which you are planning to take me?"

"It's a surprise," he chuckled. He wrapped his arms around me and pinned me against the wall, resting his forehead against mine. "Just let me be a good boyfriend, all right? I need to start somewhere."

"You already are," I told him, hugging him tightly. I sniffled a little; my nightmares were still fresh in my memory, and the thought of him dying as the last one portrayed left me horrified. "Thank you," I murmured against his shoulder. A stray tear cascaded down my cheek and tainted his shirt, causing him to pull away and look me straight in the eye.

"We'll talk later," he decided, the concern that flooded his features disappearing at once. "Go get ready."

…

As I showered, I could not help but feel as if something was terribly wrong.

The water warmed me and relaxed me, truly it did, but the affect also left me drowsy. I caught myself after I tripped over the bathtubs edge. Raven, who was in my room to help me choose what to wear, knocked on the door franticly.

"Starfire, what was that? Are you okay?"

"Yes Raven," I grumbled, clutching the sink. "I am well." With shaking hands, I dried myself off and wrapped my towel around me, starting to worry about the sudden symptoms I was noticing. I collapsed against the wall, gritting my teeth as I attempted to regain my strength to stand up. My legs felt as if they were made of water, completely drained of energy. My flight was compromised as well, which worried me more than my sudden inability to walk.

"Starf—"

"Yes, I am positively—"

Then there came Robin's voice.

"Is she ready yet? I heard some loud banging."

"Robin, stay out! She's still—err putting things together," Raven called back.

"Raven, something's wrong," Robin growled, pounding his fist against the hotel room's door. "Let me in before—"

"You can't come in!" she insisted.

"And why the hell not?"

"Starfire and I are in the middle of changing for our afternoon plans. If you come in before she's ready, you'll spoil the surprise."

"What?! Whatever…I'm coming in anyway." Three loud, forceful blows to the door later, the door flew open and slammed loudly on the opposite wall.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Relax, Robin," Raven assured him. "She is—"

"In here," I finished for her. "Robin, I will only be a moment." I struggled into the white, strapless dress I had purchased back home in Jump City, my hands getting caught on the zipper.

Robin, of course, was very impatient as of today.

"Star?" he asked worriedly. "Can I come in?"

"Um—" I quickly locked the door, only to watch it shake as he tried to force his way in. Luckily, by the time he picked the lock I was done getting dressed.

"You're okay?" he said, clarifying it for himself more than for me.

"Of course I am," I told him with a small smile. "Why would I not be okay?"

"I just—I don't know…I'm worried."

"You worry too much." I closed the remaining distance between us and kissed him on the cheek. I squeezed his hand, not bothering to meet his eyes. Although I knew something was not right, I did not want to give it away—especially not to him. He was, after all, worrying excessively. I did not want to ruin his afternoon by burdening him with my sudden dilemma.

He could tell; he always knew when something was not right with me. Against all expectations, he stepped out of the room, giving me the space I needed. "I'll give you a few minutes then. Come to my room when you're ready." He cleared his throat before departing the room, the serious concern on his face worsening before he disappeared from view.

"Are you telling the truth?" Raven asked pensively, the concern written all over her face.

I stepped out of the bathroom and hanged my towel to dry. "Of course."

"Robin seems worried."

"He is probably just excited for our first official date." I went over to my things and pulled out the belt that came with the dress along with a bottle of perfume. As I sprayed it all over myself, Raven grew with concern.

"No, I don't think that's it. Have you been sleeping lately?"

At that, she had me cornered. Although I was tempted to lie, I decided against it. "No Raven, but I slept this morning, so it is nothing of importance and—" I stammered, slipping the belt around my waist and setting the notches into place. The sapphire color went really well with the dress, and I had a good feeling that Robin would like the color on me. Raven was still talking about her worries when I slipped into my sandals.

"That explains why you were falling over in the shower, but if you haven't slept, you should cancel your date. Robin shouldn't be—"

"He already knows I haven't been sleeping," I sighed. I walked to the mirror, combing my fingers through my hair and staring at myself. The dress went down to my knees and was, as Robin would say, very flattering for me. "He might just let me sleep, wherever he decides to take me. Please trust me, Raven. I will not be—"

"Fine." She went to the door, peaking through the hole. "I think the boys want me to come explore the city." Her voice was just as monotonous as usual, her eyes plain with boredom.

"It sounds like fun, Raven. Enjoy your time with Cyborg and Beast Boy. I am certain they will be very entertaining."

"Lucky me," she drawled.

As Cyborg and Beast Boy's voices echoed off the walls, Raven cringed. "Beast Boy, we can't go by the comic store! Doesn't the fact that Daizo controlled those ink freaks mean anything to you?" Cyborg yelled from the hallway.

"Of course," Beast boy groaned. "Its better now though, not haunted. C'mon please?!" he begged.

I pushed Raven in the direction of the door until we both were out of the room, making sure to keep my card key just in case. "Surely Raven must join you, yes?"

"Yeah, Raven. You excited?" Beast Boy teased, wiggling his eyebrow and grinning widely.

"No," she said, bored. "I would prefer to spy on Starfire's date with—"

"The Boy Blunder hasn't taken you out yet?" Cyborg repeated, unsurprised. "Well….I gotta kick some—"

"Cyborg, I assure you, everything is okay. We're going somewhere just as soon as you—"

"Are you ready to go?" Robin asked, locking up his room. Everyone stared unpleasantly at him, their eyes unwavering as he walked up to me. "What?"

"You waited this long—" Cyborg fretted, frustrated.

"Nothing, Robin," Raven interjected, grabbing both boys by the collars and dragging them down the hall. As soon as they were out of sight, Robin's fingers curled around mine, his smile meeting his eyes.

"Hello," he whispered, leaning in slightly. I backed up against my closed door, his eyes intently focused on mine.

"Greetings."

His free hand came up to stroke along my cheek. I was about to ask to do this in one of our rooms when he crushed his lips to mine. All it took was a second and I was enthralled in his kiss. Before I could ask for more, he pulled away, smiling in spite of himself. "I've been waiting to do that all morning," he complained. His breath fanned across my face, leaving its own intoxicating scent behind as he backed away further. "Come on. I've got something to show you."

…

He led the way to a park in the city. The trees protected the grass from the bright overhead sun, which almost blinded us on our way there. Children and pets played by their guardians, filling the air with laughter and joy. I listened to them with my eyes closed, deeply relaxed and at peace as we sat in the grass and simply enjoyed our time together.

"You falling asleep on me again?" he teased, tugging on my hand and pulling me towards him.

"Yes, perhaps I am," I admitted.

"Well, sleeping beauty, we aren't there yet. You can sleep all you want after lunch." He rose to his feet, pulling me to mine with him.

"We have to walk more?" I grumbled, leaning against his chest. I didn't expect him to sweep me off my feet and carry me though.

"There. Happy now?" he grinned, his face very close to mine.

"Very happy," I replied. I leaned in for a kiss, but he resisted this time.

"Aren't you going to wait before you get your surprise?" he said.

"Mm…?"

He said nothing more, most likely because he wanted me to relax in his embrace. I commended him, resting my head on his shoulder and listening to the sound of his boots against the grass as he climbed uphill.

He kissed my forehead, then put me down on the ground. "What do you think?" he asked. I opened my eyes to find myself lying on a beautiful purple and blue checkered blanket. At the edge was a picnic basket, which had sandwiches, fruits and veggies inside to eat.

"What is this?" I asked him.

"A thoroughly planned first date. You like it?"

"Yes!" I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, hugging him until he protested. As we ate, we talked about simple things, about how he missed the tower in Jump City, and how I missed watching Cyborg beating Beast Boy while they argued over their games of video. I felt at peace with him, like I was safe. Like nothing could make this day any worse than the others prior.

At least, I thought it was meant to stay that way.

I guess fate has its own way of pulling the strings.

After an hour of us sitting together and enjoying ourselves, I could not ignore the speck in the sky that was getting closer to us. I was munching on an apple when I distinguished what it was. It distinctly reminded me of the ink monster that was sent to destroy me after Robin had been arrested.

Such a thought left me confused more than it gave me answers.

"Um…Robin?"

"Yeah?"

I pointed to the speck that was heading directly toward us. "What is that?"

He looked at it and tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"

I sat in his lap and checked for myself. Nothing was there; it was as if the speck vanished. I massaged my temples; I was hoping that the warning signs of illness I noticed earlier were not amounting to anything.

Robin crouched in front of me, clearly concerned. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I—" I was going to tell him everything, how bad I was feeling today, and how I had a hard time getting ready this morning, but that was all brought to an end when his communicator beeped.

"One sec," he assured me, flipping out his communicator. He rose to his feet and went behind a tree, sounding angry as he answered the call. "What do you want, Cyborg?"

"Raven and Beast Boy are driving me nuts! Can you take one of them—"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, aggravated. "No, Cy, and you're not a babysitter, just send them back to the hotel."

"But Beast Boy won't listen!"

"Just tell him to behave."

"That's not working. Raven might go back, but—" Raven's voice interrupted him, her tone grave.

"Robin, you and Stafire need to come find Beast Boy, me and Cyborg. Something's happened. Something bad," Raven said gravely.

Robin's face drained of color. "What happened?"

"Commander Daizo broke out of prison."

_Reviews are always welcomed, although this alone probably isn't worthy of them! Again, I apologize for my absence. I will do my best to update weekly, if not for every two or three days. _


	3. Chapter 2: Oppressive

**Chapter 2: Oppressive**

Robin's face remained stoic as he threw everything back into our picnic basket. He worked quickly, not saying a word to me or acknowledging I was sitting next to him.

It seemed to me my Robin, the one on this date with me, had disappeared.

I put a hand on his shoulder, worried for him. "Robin, please—"

He shoved the basket into my hands, not allowing me to finish my sentence. "I need you to go back to the hotel. You're not fit for battle. We can talk about—"

I scowled at him, putting the basket back on the ground and poking him in the chest with my finger. "Now listen, I _am not_ weak merely because—"

He huffed in agitation, averting my eyes. "Star, it doesn't matter. You're not coming."

I narrowed my eyes, determined to not allow him to order me around despite his concerns. "I _am_ coming, and you cannot stop me. My sleep habits do not—"

"Star, _please_ don't do this!" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he stood up. He started to walk away and pulled out his communicator. His hand fell to his side, his voice solemn when he continued. "I'm too worried. If he realizes you're weakened, he'll target you first."

"I do not care if he targets me," I said tartly, placing a hand on my hip and arching an eyebrow. "If he does, I can handle myself. I am not weak!"

He turned on his heel and gnawed on his cheek, lost in thought. I thought he was going to object until he swept me into his arms and kissed me full on the mouth. "Please go and rest," he whispered, brushing our noses together. His eyes focused on mine, even through the mask I could see how desperate he was to keep me safe. "Please," he pleaded.

He leaned in for another kiss, but I pushed him away as gently as my building anger would allow. I took in a deep breath to calm down, not at all willing to sit out when the city needed me. He was not the only one with issues concerning Commander Daizo having done the 'breaking out' of prison. "Leave now. I will see you later."

His thumb stroked my cheek once before he shot a grappling hook into the air and was gone.

…

The hotel, to me, was absolutely abysmal.

I had already gotten the room service and flipped through every channel available on the television. The movie I watched was a horror film, about a couple who had to find each other through chaos and destruction after a horrific tornado. Among the remains, monsters attacked, threatening their lives constantly.

It bored me to the extreme.

I was about to take a walk around the city when my communicator beeped and vibrated on the night stand in between the beds, the red light at the top flashing.

I opened it, only to find Cyborg's face on the screen, fear painted all over his face. "Star, if you're getting this, we need you here! _Now_! Robin isn't—"

"Cyborg," I asked, concerned, "is everything okay?"

"No, Robin shouldn't have sent you to the hotel! You're needed here!"

"Starfire, no! Stay away!" Robin's voice cried from somewhere out of the communicator's visual range. "It's not safe, he won't—"

"We need you here," Cyborg said gravely, his image fading with the building static. "You're the only one who can get things right."

The image faded completely, leaving me with no choice except to pursue this matter. With worry scorching my heart, I flew out the window, allowing only my happiest memories to drown my sorrows and take me to where I needed to be.

…

Upon arrival at the battle field, one thing was obvious to me, among other things.

The situation did not appear in our favor, but the enemy's. Beast Boy and Raven were flying at high speeds, trying to avoid and at the same time attack the monsters pursuing them. I remembered them well; they were the exact same ones that attacked us spuriously during our first few days in Tokyo.

Cyborg and Robin were fending off various enemies, each successful to an extent.

Everything would have been fine, had he not noticed me.

Uehara punched Robin to the ground, then smiled sourly at me. "Well hello, my young friend! Come to watch your friends lose, mm?"

Robin moaned, rubbing his head in confusion, and followed Uehara's gaze to mine. He didn't move, probably because he was unable, but that did not stop Uehara from slowly stalking over to me. He pulled a knife from his coat pocket, pointing at me with a wide grin. "You are the one who caused me to lose, are you not?"

Robin was shaking his head at me, panic plastered t0 his face. I understood fully well why he had asked me to stay away. He was doing it to protect me.

Sometimes, love is a two-way street.

"Yes, I am. I thought you belonged in prison. If you do not think so, you will target me, not any of them," I snarled, my eyes glowing with green fury. My hands lit up as well, threatening to push him back dare he come closer.

Uehara smiled, continuing in my direction. Several of his rocket boy minions came alongside him as if on command, their rockets propelling them above me intimidatingly. "I do not think you should have come. You are such a foolish girl. Starfire, was it?" His words of steel did not do as he intended, but only added to the fire. "She won't fight," I heard him whisper to himself. "Will you strike when your lover is under execution?" He waved the pink feline hybrid forward with a flick of his wrist, which shoved a panting Robin to the ground. He was clutching his left side, from which I could see blood seeping through his shirt.

He needed a distraction; he needed help.

"Robin…" my voice broke the instant it left my lips, causing Daizo to smirk.

"Do you see how this needs to end?" He gestured to the surrounding area. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven were nowhere to be found. "Your friends are gone. Your last living one is failing. I will let him live, but only if you surrender." His voice was deceptive, too persuasive. I dropped to the ground, forcing my knees to support me despite the weakness washing over me. "You are making a bold choice—the right choice. Your friends will—"

"STARFIRE NO! FIGHT HIM!" boomed Cyborg's voice. He came out of the alleyway behind him, and Raven materialized next to him. Beast Boy was in lion form, but transformed back to human only to encourage me.

"He's lying! Don't let him—"

Daizo cursed in Japanese, trying to organize his thoughts, but I was faster.

I took to the air, blasting him with my eyebeams and my starbolts until he flew backward, right into the concrete of the building behind him. "Daizo, I think it is you who just made a bold choice—and the _wrong_ choice."

Once Daizo was unconscious in the debris—or so I thought—I rushed to Robin's side, glad to find the gash to his side was not too serious or damaging. He grinned at me, struggling to his feet before collapsing.

"Robin," I supported him. "You need assistance." He said nothing, just clung to me, as if I was the only reason he could stand at the moment. He mumbled something against my shoulder, something that sounded like a sign of thanks. "He is not well! Raven, he needs healing!"

Instantly, she was at his aide, applying her glowing hands to his side and his chest. Almost immediately, the gash was gone. His breathing went back to normal; to signify that he smiled at both of us gratefully, still allowing me to support him with his arm around my shoulder.

"Thanks," he said, a slight smile appearing on his lips. He looked up to meet my eyes, noticing the worry sketched across my face. "What's wrong?"

"I must apologize," I sighed, managing a miniscule smile. "I disobeyed orders, therefore—"

"Don't worry about it, Star," he interrupted. "It's fine."

"Well, now that everything's all hunky-dory, why don't we go to eat? I'm in the mood for sushi!" Cyborg exclaimed excitedly.

Robin smiled wearily. "Yeah, we should stay and make sure the police know what happened. Star and I will catch up. Go and get a few tables."

Needless to say, Cyborg and Beast Boy were too excited to bid us goodbye. Raven merely floated after them, the same bored look on her face we all recognized.

Robin walked away, checking to make sure any signs of danger were gone. "That's odd," he commented, frowning.

I stood by the pile of concrete and tilted my head to the side in curiosity. "What is? Everything seems to be okay."

"Yeah, but wasn't the Commander—"

"Ahh…you are the leader, mm? I should've known the foolish girl was incapable of such a task," Daizo drawled. Robin and I both turned in the direction of the voice, only to find him a safe distance of ten feet away. "I should've figured it before…oh well. Now I will have my revenge. Any last words, my friend?" He smiled slyly at us, as if he had just won the greatest victory. He unclipped his gun from his belt and discharged the bullet, preparing to fire as he pointed it at us.

"You might want to take that back, commander," Robin growled, standing protectively in front of me. Behind his back, his hands grasped my wrists tightly, conveying a message only I would understand. My hands closed around his wrists, my eyes glowing green in case things did not go as planned. "On my call, fly," he murmured.

I nodded curtly, not taking my eyes off of the enemy. Little did we know that things progressed already too quickly…

By the time Robin gave the signal, a gunshot rang through the air and flew at us at unbelievable accuracy and stealth. Robin was struck in the center of his chest just as I took to the skies, and the only reason I knew was because it should have hit me rather than him. His breathing, which had been ragged earlier, started to get worse than I thought possible.

When I thought he could not wait a minute more, I landed safely on the roof of a skyscraper and gently set him so he was properly leaning against the wall.

He gasped for air, as if that in itself could kill him. "Call Raven," he managed, his hands hurriedly ripping open the front of his shirt.

I did as he bade and helped him with his shirt. The bullet came out easily, but the blood was enough to nauseate me. I almost fainted, and I would have, had I not realized we had been followed.

The speck I thought I saw at the picnic was speeding toward us, blue fire shooting from its hands. My feet left the ground as I absently prepared to defend before I realized Robin's predicament. I made myself smaller, crouching down beside him in hopes that we were safe for the moment. "We have been spotted. Daizo knows we are—"

"Go," he whispered. "Raven will be here soon, won't she?" Just as he said that, Raven's form appeared.

"Robin!" she cried, floating over to us. "What happened?" she demanded.

"We were leaving and he was shot by Daizo. If I had been quicker, he would not have been injured," I explained, sadness and guilt washing over me.

"Star," he gasped, "it wasn't your fault."

"Shh," Raven whispered, placing one of her ebony hands on his forehead and the other against his chest. He disappeared into unconsciousness upon her touch, relief replacing the pained look on his face. "He'll be okay."

I nodded my understanding. "Thank you."

"No problem. I'll take him back to the hotel, get him somewhere safe. Are you coming to dinner with Beast Boy, Cyborg, and me?"

I would have said yes, but that's when I noticed the monster confronting us. The blue boy with a rocket strapped to his back was getting closer as the seconds flew by.

My eyes blazed emerald with anger and my hands flickered to life. They faded by some small degree, but I thought not much of it as I pushed off the roof. "No. I have some unfinished business. Get him away from here." I think she said more, but I was too far away from her to hear. When I checked over my shoulder to make sure they were no longer in harms way, they were gone.

Relief did not stay for long.

Once the boy and I collided, I found myself struggling as he shoved me toward the ground hundreds of feet below. My eyes sent him into buildings, but unlike earlier, it was not nearly enough. Seconds after each blow, there he was again, brutally forcing me lower in the air. I worried for my strength, for it was not as potent to my enemy as I remembered it was meant to be. My starbolts, which were a useful and always present weapon, were essentially useless.

Had my sleep deprivation affected my abilities as well?

I was beginning to worry as he slammed me into the concrete of the streets, the crater from the impact engraved into the cement. Traffic was brought to a halt and people screamed as they watched one of their new heroes being dominated over by a monster made of ink.

My nose was bloody and my mouth filled with the sour, metallic flavor of blood, as if I had just been aroused by one of my nightmares.

To me, it seemed I was living one.

Closing my eyes in concentration rather than in defeat, I focused my remaining energy on creating enough of a starbolt to cover me in green. Even though I did not trust my starbolts at the moment, it was the only idea that came to mind. Although it took a lot more concentration than normal, I did manage to conjure a starbolt, the green energy against my skin expanding until I no longer felt the punches or the kicks from the monster.

The silence, like other things, can be deceiving.

Sometimes, it can be life-threatening.

I opened my eyes, weakly lifting off the ground and exiting the crater to examine the area around me. People stared open-mouthed, shocked, yet in awe of my quick recovery. I would have smiled and joined them to sign the autograph, but, of course, Daizo was not finished with his torment yet. His laughter had just reached my ears as the electricity pulsed painfully through me, interjecting my flight and sending me to the ground in a heap.

I looked up at him, seeing as well as feeling smoke rise off of my skin not from my starbolt, but from his weapon. His laughter edged through the air, echoing in my ears. My vision started to blur as well; my state of weakness was not common, but if I had little time to recover, it was inevitable.

For the first time in a while, it was the enemy, not me, who was the conqueror.

"Finished running already?" he teased, blowing the smoke from the tip of his weapon. It was bright red and was longer than a normal gun with blue letters inscribed along the nose of the weapon. "I thought you'd actually put up a fight this time, considering I hurt your precious leader. No matter," he shrugged, pointing his weapon to the tip of my nose as electricity began to flow through it, "I will settle for an easy win against a Teen Titan."

I struggled to my hands and knees, allowing the little energy I had left to leave my body through an eyebeam to his chest. With this time of rest, I ignored the symptoms that were reappearing from earlier this afternoon and focused on standing up.

Shakily, I began to walk in the direction of the hotel, which was located across the street and another block over. _Just a little further_, I thought eagerly, my weak bones barely able to support me.

In my own form of weakness, walking took its toll as well. Even though the sun normally healed me and gave me energy, this time it did not. All it took was going across the street for my knees to buckle and my legs to slip from under me.

Everything after that happened very fast.

Just as my knees buckled and I fell to the ground, a hint of blue crossed my field of vision, accompanied by incredible agony and a hard impact against my back.

Someone screamed in the background; whether it was for me or someone else I could not be sure. Just as they screamed, I slipped away and lost consciousness, not concerned in the least if I would ever leave it or be trapped there for eternity.


	4. Chapter 3: Awakening

_**Author's Note:**__ Please forgive me, my faithful readers! I was stuck with a mountain-load of homework and tests these past few weeks. My psychology is not as demanding, but biology is quite different! No more serious assignments this week, so if there are reviews, you may find an update sooner than later. Chapter 4 is already in the works and brainstormed; I think you all will enjoy it very much. _

_ For those of you who have anything that you think should happen, now is the time to leave it in reviews. For those who do, the chapter your idea makes an appearance in will be dedicated to you. __**Please be aware of this:**__ If it doesn't appear in this story, it might appear in another one. Whether there is a sequel or another story, you will never know unless it's posted and you see your penname. Again, I will dedicate all chapters to those who make suggestions! _

_This story will most likely be ten chapters, depending on my ideas and such, implying that reviews and suggestions would increase the chapters! Please take the time to leave a review, because this is my first fanfiction and although I like it, that doesn't mean anything because I am also the author. I would really like to know if you do. Constructive criticism only, please!_

_One last thing: Drama and angst will be making more of an appearance from here on out. Yes, there will be romance, but it will be subtle depending on the chapter and the characters. Get ready and strap on your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride!_

**Chapter 3: Awakening**

_Pain. _

That was what I felt when I wearily opened my eyes.

A throbbing sensation engulfed my forehead, causing my face to contort in pain. I moaned; this would be very unpleasant after the pain medicine wore off. I looked around me, finding a soft bed beneath me. Extreme discomfort branched out from my shoulder, making me gasp in agony. At the throbbing sensation in my shoulder, I pulled down my sleeve to reveal a heavily bandaged shoulder beneath.

I saw the string of machinery and equipment next to my bed and groaned. I was not in my hotel room, but in the hospital.

A place in which I knew no one and no one knew me.

And a place in which I felt deserted.

I swung my legs over the bed, my hips and legs screaming in protest as I forced my weight on them and collapsed to the floor. My arms and legs resisted any commands I bade them, frustrating me, and my left leg—the one I landed directly on—felt like it had been ran over by a truck. _Were my legs broken in the accident?_

Boots clicked on the floor from the other side of the bed as whoever was my caretaker approached me. I looked at the beds edge with narrowed eyes, refusing any help that anyone thought to give me; I despised being mistaken for any weakness.

My gaze softened when I found it to be Robin. He looked at me with his head tilted to the side at first, as if to explain for himself the reason why I was on the floor.

"Star?" he yawned. "What are you doing up?" He asked, gently helping me lie back in the bed. He adjusted my pillows for me and sat down in the chair next to my bed.

"What happened? Why can I not walk?"

He did not respond right away, just touched my cheek lightly with his hand. "We almost lost you. You lost a lot of blood. They would have given you a transfusion, but by then you were stabilized. Your shoulder was badly dislocated and was cut up from being slammed into concrete. Your legs took most of the damage, so to help with the pain the doctors used a lot of painkillers to numb them. " His voice caught in his throat, threatening to break. "Raven tried to heal you—she worked until she went into exhaustion, but you wouldn't heal. We had to take you here to be cared for, and—"

"Robin," I managed, desperately wanting him to stop. Tears burned my eyes and I closed them out of consideration for him; he did not need to see me crying again. "Please stop." One of them betrayed me and slid down my cheek. His finger caught it as he stroked my face, the gentleness of his touch making me sigh in gratitude. "How long was I out of consciousness?"

"Two days."

"And…you are well?"

"Yeah, I'm okay Star. It's you I'm worried about."

I shifted on my bed to sit up more, only to be interrupted by a crushing pain that spread from the center of my chest. Robin noticed me wince and automatically adjusted the pillows for me.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yes," I managed. I felt his eyes straining against my face, as if he was trying to figure out if I was being honest with him. "Is something wrong, Robin?"

"Are you sure everything's okay?"

I responded by resting my head against his shoulder. "Can we please just be happy I am alive?" I gazed into his mask, ignoring the aches shooting up my legs; obviously the pain medication was not as long-lasting as the doctors hoped. Suddenly, my forehead blazed like fire; I pulled away, groaning. My hand clutched the spot where it hurt the most, my head reeling.

Robin looked like he would have said something, but we were interrupted by an abrupt knock at the door. Before I could protest, Robin was racing to let the person in.

A pudgy woman entered with a tray of food. "I see someone's awake!" She hooked the tray up to the bed, her high-pitched voice causing my ears to ring. "Are you in any pain dear?" My vision blurred slightly, but I merely shrugged it off, only blinking my eyes in confusion.

"No, Nurse…?"

"Cheryl, dear. Call me Cheryl." Her voice was doused in sweetness, as if she had bathed in a pond made of candy.

I instinctively pulled my arm away from her as she prepared to draw some blood; for a reason I could not explain, something did not seem right with this woman. "Excuse me, Nurse Cheryl, but I would appreciate it if Cyborg would do this instead. Where are our friends, Robin?"

"They went to the press conference the day you were attacked and have been trying to find Daizo. He escaped before we found you."

My heart ached; I wished deeply to see them and be healed of my iniquities. It bothered me that although Raven tried, I had not been healed. "Oh."

"Yeah, so please just submit to testing. We don't really have a choice." He held my hand as the needle pricked my skin; though I did not like it, I did not inform him of my disdain for the nurse. In the midst of it all, he kissed my temple tenderly, making me sigh. "All done," he told me after a few minutes.

It was not until after she left that it occurred to me she might have taken more than what she needed.

Robin squeezed my hand; suddenly his warmth was gone and I could hear his shoes against the linoleum. I opened my eyes to find him cutting my chicken and separating the beans and potatoes so that they would not get soggy. "You really should eat something," he suggested.

I did as he asked and ate the meal, enjoying the small talk he provided. It felt like we could go back to what we were before I was hurt.

Then he mentioned my being kept from active duty.

"I don't think you should fight anyone until we officially get the clear from the doctor," he explained. "I just don't want to—"

"Robin, stop worrying. I will be fine. I have enough of the common sense not to engage in combat until the doctor approves." I pushed the tray away from me, suddenly drowsy. "Can we please just rest for right now? I am getting tired."

"Already?" He cocked an eyebrow. He seemed just as surprised about how limited I was now. "I suppose you don't want to be moving around too much until you regain your strength in your legs. I can have Raven—"

Just as her name surpassed his lips, the other three titans boisterously entered the room, their excitement growing once they saw I was awake.

"How ya holdin' up little lady?" Cyborg checked.

"I am well! I just saw the nurse, and she was—err—very kind. I like her very much." The sourness in my voice was tangible.

"Well at least you're stabilized now," Beast Boy grinned. He transformed into a cat and jumped into my lap, snuggling as close to me as he could with Robin in the room.

Robin looked away, his lips pressed tightly in a line. "Did you find anything?"

"We're sorry, man, but Daizo is untraceable. I'm not getting any signs of him. We've searched the entire city, and he's nowhere to be found."

Robin's fist pounded the mattress in frustration, barely missing my leg. "Robin, calm down. Everything is—" I tried to soothe him.

"Hey man, why don't you go for a walk or something? We can watch over Star until you get back," Cyborg suggested.

"Yeah, Star'll be perfectly fine," Beast Boy said. "You've been here for two days. It's about time you relax."

"No, I can't," he said.

"Of course you can," I told him. "All I will be doing is sleeping. Really, it is okay for you to go."

He gave me a look that told me he would rather stay, but I gazed back, stubborn and certain it was what he needed. Huffing in surrender, he left the room.

…

The enemy hovering above me smiled in satisfaction down at me.

The single headlamp was bright, but did not illuminate the rest of the blackened room. I was bound by metal ropes which tightened if I moved at all. I glared back at him, but with all the anger that boiled within me, nothing happened; my strength was gone, my eyes did not ignite with green light.

I was powerless.

The male voice laughed at my struggling as I screamed for help, only to be ignored. His main features were obscured by the darkness, but I could see his squinted eyes and make out the structure of his face. "You're a stupid girl. No one will hear you or help you. How lovely is it to have you, a teen titan, at my will. I think I will kill your friends first and make you watch."

"No!"

"Oh yes! Why not save the best for last? You, young lady, are in very deep trouble."

"You will not win! I have—" Before I had the chance to finish my sentence, black ink was pouring from above, wherever this place was, causing me to scream as the nightmare did not switch back to reality.

…

I woke up in the same room I was assigned at the hospital, terrified of what the nightmare would bring. If anything, I knew something was not right. And I also knew Robin would not allow me to investigate this matter for myself.

I was somewhat surprised to find Robin lying next to me, his arm draped over my waist. His face was drawn with exhaustion, but was peaceful in his slumber.

Carefully, I eased myself out of bed. I first tested out my legs, and surely enough, they were stable enough to support me. Although they ached at my weight being forced on them, I thought nothing of it. I proceeded to the doorway, hiding behind the wall as a group of nurses bustled past. Among them, two were whispering quietly.

"…she should be out of it until three tomorrow afternoon…" the one said.

"…but is it enough? The Commander wanted her out cold until this weekend…"

"He will need to be satisfied. He ought to be doing this himself."

After those words reached my ears, I staggered for support against the wall and gasped. If they were discussing what I thought they were, it meant our search for Daizo was over. They must have heard me, because the next thing I knew, they were peaking into the room. I managed to hide in the bathroom, my nerves skyrocketing the instant their presence entered the room. Once they left, I relaxed, but only minimally.

With my legs threatening to drop me at any moment, I followed after them.

…

"Can we talk to the Commander, please?" the first nurse asked over the phone. "Yes sir, everything is at is supposed to be. Do you want to come tomorrow to finish off the job?"

"I will. She is prepared, yes?" a male voice asked over the phone.

My blood froze. I slid down the wall I was leaning against, suddenly very nervous for what was going to happen. I needed to get out of here, before they figured out I was doing the eaves dropping. If only the ebony-haired boy had not seen me…

I recognized him as the one I kissed for the language transfer when we arrived in Tokyo. _"Hello, Miss, are you in need of assistance?"_ he asked in Japanese.

_"No,"_ I answered him in his native language, pushing myself up from the wall. I started to walk in the direction of my room when my legs would not handle my weight and I dropped on all fours, wincing in pain. _"Call Robin."_

_"Robin?"_ he asked.

"Never mind," I muttered. "I—"

"Starfire, what are you doing out of your room?" Cyborg said from down the hall. He was carrying some flowers and a bag from the grocery store. He put them aside and helped me over to a wheelchair.

A doctor passed by, his eyebrow raised. "Excuse me, but aren't you supposed to be resting?"

"I am sorry," I said frantically, "I was just—"

"She's not going to be running off again doc. Robin and I will watch her and make sure of that," Cyborg assured him, glaring at me disapprovingly.

"Good. Well, I will check up on her in a bit. Tell Robin she needs to stay in bed," he called over his shoulder as he continued down the corridor.

"Will do," Cyborg promised. With that, he rolled me back to my room, silence the only thing passing between us as we went. "I'm sorry Star, I really am, but if you don't want to live here for the rest of your life you'll have to do what they tell you."

I would have responded, but Robin's stern voice stopped me. "Starfire, where were you?"

We had reached my room and he came to greet us in the hall, his arms crossed across his chest.

"I—I—" I fumbled for words, the anger in his face frightening me. My shoulders slumped in defeat as he rolled me back into the room and helped me lie down on the bed. This time, he did not sit next to me, but scolded me like a child. Cyborg was talking to Raven and Beast Boy on his communicator in the hall, most likely so he would not have to listen to Robin yelling.

"Star, why were you wandering around the hospital?" he asked again, his tone somewhat kinder. I could not answer him right away; the fear from what I overheard was still there, leaving me without the ability to speak. "Can't you tell me?"

"It will only make things worse," I sighed. "I overheard some nurses conversing earlier and something did not seem right. I followed them because I thought they could lead us to the Commander Daizo." I heaved a heavier sigh, preparing for another lecture. "I am sorry for worrying you and going against everything the doctors have told me, but—"

"Robin," Cyborg called into the room. He stood in the doorway, his voice serious. "We found Daizo. We'd better go while his trails fresh."

Robin merely nodded and ran out the door, forgetting I was trying to tell him something. My hands fumbled for the television remote, but I realized there was nothing I wanted to watch. As I laid in my bed of comfort, I found myself far from comforted. Although I knew Robin's touch would come when he returned, that did not bring any form of solace to the fear beginning to broil inside me. It felt as if my injuries had set off a time bomb, one which would destroy everyone I loved, regardless of how much I wanted to shield them from danger.

Either that or it would destroy me first.

I did not see Robin again that night; I could only listen to the sirens wailing in the city around me and hope he was not harmed in battle.

Sleeplessness had never been so overbearing, not even before my predicament.

Even after his shadow came to my side and laid next to me, I was only able to feign sleep, the same nightmarish images as before creeping into my sense of consciousness.


End file.
